Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-10-06

LQdJ bllty uuO kHOMu VI CtiAlos 1hClOl4
made a sign for them to retire, which they
gladly obeyed. And as Victoria was about
TO follow them he called her back.
"One moment, my girl"
She stopped, a little confused. 81 am
going to ask you the same questions as those
/ addressed your comrades. At what hour
did you go to bedF
"Why, why" stammered she, looking to-
ward Henriette SO earnestly that it was evident
that she was waiting for sign from her mis-
tress. M. Lacroix placed himself between
them without seeming to do SO by design.
ANSWER, my girl, and do not fear to. speak
the truth"
II went TO bed very late; later than usual.
Madame must have told you"
"Why later yesterday than usualr'
1--WE were waiting for n. Laroque, who did
not return until after midnight. Madame
and Miss Suzanne and waited for him until
nearly midnight"
'You mean 10 o'clockP'
'No, midnight At IL 80 was in madame's
room. She had rung for me TO come and I'M
dress Miss Suzanne"
'You are very sure of the hourF'
Certainly, sir, since tell you son
Here was double contradiction which sur
rogue pretended that her husband had re-
turned few minutes after she had retired,
and that she had retired at 10 o'clocki What
interest had she to prevaricatei
$50 then at IL 80 you were in madame's
room. That hour comedies with that of the
crime. A pistol shot was fired Did you
hear it,"
Perfectly, and even observed SO to
madame But madame, who was on the
balcony, says she heard nothing"
sand you did not go outl"
"No, sir"
SIS that all you have to say to mef'
"Yes, sir, she replied. nesitatingly. II do
not Know anything more"
Lacroix noticed that she grew pale, and
thought she lied. "She knows something else
and will not tell It," Then, with a 10 Ching
air, he turned again to Henriette, SAYING
II understand your repugnance to tell me
the truth, and / do not blame you for not
wishing to serve as a witness at the court of
asszes, but the affair is grave and merits re-
fiectionn-
GSirln
ado not say that you do not understand
me- No, my meaning is very clear to you,
and you have understood me perfectly well.
You say that IF say nothing justice will
not need my testimony and / will escape
much annoyance by keeping silent That is
true and would be justiiable If the question
was trihing one, but this is murder"
"Again sir"-
"Permit me, madame; have not finished.
Up to the preser moment you say you were
asleep ut 10 oe Jock. Neither you nor your
little girl had one to bed until midnight"
II assure you, sir" said Henriette, whose
heart seemed ready to burst.
"Do not deny. Your maid says other
wise"
"She is mistaken"
as it not more likely you who are mis-
taken9" insinuated the magistrate, who
watched the visible emotion Of Henriette
with a vigilant eye.
as 1t possible that after all did not notice
the hour, and it may have been later than
thought"
as it true that Victoria called your atten-
ton to pistol shot near your Window
81 do not remember it."
"And you declare that you heard nothing,
although you were so late out on the
balconyl"
Monsieur, permit me to remark" said
Henriette, who felt that she could bear no
more, "that you question me with as much
rigidity as if / were an accomplice of this
crime. There is a just limit, which beg of
you not to pass. Your questions and your
insinuatious humiliate and fatigue me- II
you please, let this end"
II only search the light, madame" said
Lacroix, with much gentleness, "and to sur
round myself with oil the witnesses that
might form my conviction As you wish,
madame, will withdraw, particularly as
have noticed for some moments that you
were profoundly agitated."
With this he saluted her coldly, but
politely and withdrew, leaving her prey to
violent agitation. What to dol How hinder
Victoria from telling all she knewl How
much did she knowl Would all she pos
sessed buy her silencei Hardly knowing
what she did she rang for Victoria, but
learned that she had been ordered TO go
directly to the magistrates Office, where she
was now without doubt being examined by
NJ. Lacroix. Henrietta passed over in her
mind all that had happened, and the more she
thought the greater grew her agony, for she
knew that her own denial, coupled with what
Victoria might say, would serve to bring down
the avalanche upon her shoulders. She could
do nothing but sit in weary, dazed way,
from which even the caresses OF her child
could not rouse her.
In the meantime the magistrate by threats
and promises obtained from Victoria the fact
that mother and child had been on the bal
cony. that she had heard every word they
had said as they spoke to some one to her in
visible, and who they believed to be Roger
Laroque; heard Suzanne say: @There is papa
going to see the neighbour their apparent
agitation; and all that testimony was written
down and she was made to sign it, and then
told not to go back to that house, but to hold
herself in readiness for future orders. Then
NJ Lacroix took all the papers be had seized
AZ the dead mans house and read them, after
which he made them into two packages. One
held papers Of no moment, tho other con-
tanned two letters only, each containing bus
a few lines. But in reading them Mr.. La
croix could not restrain an exclamation OF JOY
and surprise. These letters were dated six
and eight days back, and both addressed to
Larouetta, who, according to the addresses on
the envelopes, lived at that time kue st, Koch,
No. II, in Paris The first was as follows;
aSir: You call upon me TO pay TO you 49,
900 francs, loaned me by your uncle,
Mr.. Celestin Vaubernon, whose heir you are.
will not conceal from you that the restitu-
ton Of so important sum at the present mo-
ment will greatly cmbarrass me. II you viii
call at my Office at Rue ST. Maur, will ex-
plain to you the nature Of that embaTTass-
meut ROGER LARoQUB."
The other was more lnconic and even des-
perate
"Sir: You exact your money. You have
the right to dose. You can call ct Rue st.
Maur, and receive from the cashier the $780,
600 francs left by your uncle, plus the interest
which has accrued, and which | paid yearly.
1t is for me almost the certainty OF ruin,
bankruptcy and dishono-.
ssRoGER LARooUR"
NJ. Lacroix was convinced. At least proofs
seemed to accumulate pointing 70 Laroqus